RSS FeedWed 14 Jan 2009
As a little bit different take on my previous cell phone rant, this time it’s the service providers rather than the companies that make the phones I have a gripe about. Many of today’s cell phones come loaded with really cool features, yet the service providers won’t let us use many of these cool features. In some cases it is because they have found that locking features out provides them with additional revenue streams and in others, there is no good reason for what they have decided to do.
I’m not sure what kind of agreement companies such as Alltel, Verizon, Sprint, and all the rest have with cell phone manufacturers, but I am somewhat amused by the way that they are able to strong-arm companies such as LG, Kyocera, and Motorola into allowing the locking out of features that have been included.
For example, as produced by the companies, most cell phones make it quite easy for the user to upload and use custom ringtones on their phone. The phone has this feature. However, after the service provider loads their custom firmware, it is no longer possible for the average user to do this. The reasoning behind this (near as I can tell) is so that they can then provide a “service” to their customers where ringtones can be paid for and downloaded to the cell phone through the service provider’s system.
One of the things I really don’t like about their system (aside from having to pay for something that I should be able to do for free) is that it makes it nearly impossible to create truely custom ringtones. For example, if your friend has a band and you want to use a clip from one of their songs or want to use a sound file of sounds from your life (kids, pets, spouse) you cannot do this with the phone as it comes from the provider. Also, in regards to songs that are offered through the companies, you have no control over what part of the song you want to use. Perhaps you want to have a certain portion of a song that has some lyrics that you really like, unfortunately unless that portion is the one that they offer (usually the chorus/refrain) you are out of luck.
Another example of this is the bluetooth functionality in many of today’s phones. As shipped from the company, the bluetooth in many phones can be used to connect a headset, transfer files to and from other phones and computers, connect to a computer to use the phone as a modem, transfer phonebook data, and several other situations. However, for whatever reason, many cell phone companies have determined that the user should only have access to a limited number of these features.
If I go to the manufacturer’s website for many phones, there is often reference to certain features with a given phone, so I know that the phone does have the capability. However, the phone is often “crippled” in that this capability does not exist on the phone as it is recieved from a service provider. Now, I know that there are ways to “hack” a phone and re-enable these sorts of features, but I don’t think that someone should have to do that to make use of functions that the manufacturer has decided to include. If the phone is capable of doing it, then I think the service provider should allow the user to it. Your cable company doesn’t control the features you can use on your TV and the car dealership doesn’t limit the features you can use in your new car, so why do the cell phone companies get so much control? The phone is bought from them, and the service is contracted through them, but it’s still the customer’s phone.
I think the manufacturers of the cell phones should stand-up to the service providers and other than perhaps some branding (the name/logo of your service provider are usually integrated into the startup and shutdown sequences and in the default wallpaper) and including customer service type phone numbers as default (but removeable) phone book entries and perhaps a few other similar changes, not allow the company to modify the phone. If all of the cell phone manufacturers banded together to do this, the service providers would have no choice but to comply.
Ok, now it’s your turn. What do you think? Is it right for the service providers to determine what features on a phone the consumer can use and which ones they shouldn’t be able to even though the manufacturer has included them in the phone? Perhaps there is some legitimate reason for them to have this much control?
RSS feed
| Trackback URI
| 
Send To A Friend
I’ve never really given this much thought, as until recently my phone was basically only capable of making and receiving phone calls. Lol.
While I do agree that it would be preferred to have full access to all of the features of the phone, I am sure the phone manufacturers aren’t too anxious to rebel against the service providers as that is a relationship that works well for them.
You mentioned the cable company, while they don’t technically limit the features of your TV, they do a similar thing with their various channel packages. Why do I need to buy a entire sports package to get the Speed Network? Why can’t I just add the Speed Network? My TV could display the channel without problem, but they block the channel unless I buy an additional package of service. Again, this is not entirely the same but I immediately thought of this while reading your post.
I agree with what you say about the relationship working well for them, in order for a rebellion to work ALL of the manufacturers would have to be in on it at the same time because the service providers need to get phones from somewhere.
I see where you’re going with an analogy to cable TV, except that that is more an effect of the service package that you have signed on for than a feature of the TV. I would compare that to text messaging on a cell phone. Your phone can do it and you have access to the feature on your phone (your TV can display it and you can turn to that channel), but whether or not you can actually send and receive messages (or watch that channel) is dependant upon your agreement with the service provider. Whereas, they don’t limit what volume settings you can use or whether or not your closed captioning is accessible or if you can use V-Chip settings (features of the TV).
True - my wife limits what volume settings I can use on the TV, lol. She’s always asking me if I am deaf. What?
haha your response made me lol. But its true what Nick is saying, why do we have to pay extra for what our phone can already do. They already have us locked into a contract isnt that enough?
I have to agree - it’s rediculous that service providers lock out some functionality in a phone…although this is normally only done when you get a phone as part of a contract package.
The alternative is that you buy a phone that’s not on a contract, and then sign up with a service provider using your own phone. However, this will typically cost you more than if you get a phone bundled with a contract ;-(
Near as I can tell and from what I have experienced, (especially with CDMA phones) that upon “programming” or “activating” the phone with a particular provider, their firmware is going to be downloaded and installed onto the phone so these limitations will still be there.
This also goes for updating firmware if you have previously “hacked” the phone to unlock these features.
I have noticed this trend as well.
My first cell phone was a Nokia and I have always liked the quality of their phone. However, the most recent time I bought one, I noticed they were trying something new with their games.
They had a poker game on it that was kind of fun, but certainly nothing special. After playing it for a few times, they disabled it and told me I had to pay if I wanted to play again. This is a change from how my other Nokia phones were, which had always had at least one simple free game.
My current phone is kind of old, so perhaps they have changed their ways, but I doubt it. I am going to be a lot more careful when I buy a phone next time.
I do recall that many of the older phones had a few games on them (I remember spending many hours playing ’snake’) but have noticed that almost any new phone does not. However, there are almost always several games available to purchase through the provider’s “service”. This is similar, however, I’m not so sure that the manufacturers even care to include them any more so not sure whether this is due to the providers or not…
I can see why companies would limit the functionality of the phones they offer. As you pointed out, they’re doing it for the money. By crippling your phone in some way, they have an opportunity to sell you back the functionality you lost. For now, they’re getting away with it. But I feel that as more and more people become more phone savvy, and as the higher end features of phones become easier to use for non savvy consumers, then fewer and fewer people will put up with the crippleware.
It will be interesting though to see if people not putting up with it will actually cause the service providers to cave to users requests or if people will just have to become increasingly cunning in getting around these blocks and “hacking” their phones.